PSC Broadband Grant Workshop September 2014

The WisconsinPublic Service Commission

Introduces:Broadband Expansion Grant

Workshop

Presenters:

Jill Hietpas, UWEX Broadband EducatorJill.hietpas@ces.uwex.edu

Frank Livermore, Livermore Technologies frank.livermore@livermoretechnologies.com

Maria Alvarez-Stroud, Director UWEX Broadband & Ecommerce Education Centermaria.alvarez-stroud@uwex.uwc.edu

Today’s Objectives• Review the Grant Requirements

• Address Possible Technology Solutions and Opportunities for Your Unserved Areas

• Look at the “Ingredients for Success” for round one grants and guidelines for round 2 success

• Engage Providers as Partners and Ways to Build on the Public/Private requirement

• Utilize the Broadband & E-Commerce Education Center as a Resource

Set by statute: expectation that you’ll demonstrate a clear and achievable plan (Wis.

Stat. 196.504)

Overview of Grant Requirements

Overall Goal: increase subscribership by providing construction of broadband facilities.

Minimum expectation of 3 mbps download & 768 kbps for upload

Demonstrate “underserved” areasBy Census Block Map orBy other means: data, demand, etc.

If you are a public entity:

You need a Private Partner

Project Description

Include the following:A map and description of the area of the state

affected Explanation how the project will increase

broadband accessLast mile, middle mile or backbone?Service described including speeds & technologyA Schedule

PSC Resources/Data Collection Tools

• LinkWISCONSIN Maps• Bandwidth Assessment Tool for Data

Collection• Demand Survey Data• LinkWISCONSIN Website– http://linkwisconsin.org/lwi/default.aspx?

page=8

http://wi.linkamericadata.org/

Grant Eligible Areas

LinkWISCONSIN MAPS

Dunn County

http://wi.linkamericadata.org/

Provider Portal

http://wisconsindashboard.org

Demand Survey

Bandwidth Assessment Tool (BAT)

https://apps.costquest.com/bat/newparticipant

BAT Results

Respondents Address

Provider Portal

Provider Portal (Dunn County)

Demand Survey (Dunn County Residential Data)

http://wisconsindashboard.org/console/infograph/state/residential/55

Demand Survey (Dunn County Business Data)

Include a Budget• AN ITEMIZED STATEMENT of the investment &

construction costs proposed.

– Equipment purchases, Labor, Salary info., Training expenses

– Owned, rented or leased?

• Requirements: This is not a subsidy and funds can only be used for construction in your proposed area.

– Note the allowable list of items (page 7)

Priority Factors & Evaluation Criteria

• 1. Matching Funds - Cash, salary or in-kind?

• 2. Apparent Public-private partnerships

• 3. Existing broadband service for your proposed area

Includes overlapping providers of footprint: address the overlap

• 4. Project Impact

Geographic area, population, including likely users: business and residential

Possible Added Scoring Criteria

• Number of persons served compared to others

• Download and upload speeds

• Secondary benefits of the project

Proposal Submission

• October 13, 2014 Applications due by 4pm

• http://psc.wi.gov/apps35/ERF_upload/content/mymenu.aspxSelect “Existing Docket” (public or confidential)Docket Number -5-GT-100ERF description is “Broadband Expansion Grant

Program”Must be electronically submitted!

The Process

A Screening Panel• Recommendations to

the Commission• Recommendations by

grant priority factors• Proposals are ranked• Non-binding

The PSC Commission• Screen Panel’s

recommendations are a starting point

• Review proposals as well

• Also rank proposals and make final determination

Broadband Expansion Grant Awards of FY 2014

http://psc.wi.gov/apps35/ERF_search/default.aspx (search docket id 5-GF-237)

Some Observations:• Technology agnostic: from DSL to Wireless to Fiber

• Funding range between $14,000 to $140,000

• Unserved areas (or those without broadband ) were found to be rated higher in importance than underserved areas

• Matching funds or other investments showing financial commitment were important

• Supporting documents to consider

Public Partners Included:

• Municipalities• County Economic Development Corporations• Townships• Regional Economic Development Corporations• Community Area Network with hospitals

Possible Solutions

The Technology

• How rural is your community?• What is your last-mile broadband speed goal?• What is your anticipated market penetration?• What is your topology and geology for your area?• What is your budget and/or cost sharing

opportunities?• Can you obtain access to existing duct and/or

towers in favorable locations?• Do you have existing fiber or tower sites now?

Solutions Start With Questions

Popular Broadband Technologies• Fiber-optic cable

• Performance: High• Reliability: High• Cost: High• Maintenance: Low

• Digital Subscriber Line• Performance: Moderate• Reliability: Moderate/High• Cost: Low (Compared to Fiber)• Maintenance: Moderate

• Cable• Performance: High• Reliability: Moderate• Cost: Varies (Whether new or existing HFC)• Maintenance: Moderate

Other Broadband Technologies• Broadband Over Power Line (BPL)

• Performance: Moderate/High• Reliability: Moderate• Cost: Moderate/High• Maintenance: Low/Moderate

• Satellite• Performance: Low/Moderate, Latency Issues• Reliability: Moderate, Environmental Issues• Cost: Moderate to High• Maintenance: Low

• T1, T3• Performance: Low and Moderate Respectively• Reliability: Moderate/High• Cost: High (Compared To Other Technologies)• Maintenance: Low

Wireless Broadband• Wi-Fi (Short-Range)

• Performance: Varies Widely, Limited Range• Reliability: High• Cost: Low• Comments: Used to service end users or short P2P links

802.11 (1997)

802.11a (1999)

802.11b (2000)

802.11g (2003)

802.11n (2009)

802.11ac (2013)

802.11af (2014)

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

2

54

11

54

600

1300

568

Max Mbps

• 3G, 4G/LTE• Performance: Moderate to Very High• Reliability: Moderate• Cost: Low/Moderate• Comments: 4G LTE not available everywhere, limited range,

and data limits

2G (1991)

3G (2001)

4G (2006)

LTE Advanced (2013)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

0.25

28

100

1000

Max Mbps

Wireless Broadband

• Wi-Max• Performance: Moderate/High• Reliability: Moderate• Cost: Moderate• Comments: Commonly Used by WISPs, Backhaul, or

Redundant Service and May Require Licensing

Wireless Broadband

WiMax - Rel 1.0 (2001)

WiMax - Rel 1.5 (2009)

WiMax - Rel 2.0 (2011)

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

54

279

1000

Max Mbps

• Reasons For Sector Antennas• Load Balancing: Not all users connected to one access point• Concentrating signals in areas of specific interest• Working around neighboring interference problems• Sector antennas are down-tilted slightly to control coverage

Wireless Antenna Sectoring

120o

120o

120o

_Xo

Heig

ht

-3dB -3dB

Down-Tilt (Vertical)

Horizontal Beamwidth

“Wired” Broadband• Fiber-Optic Telecommunication Benefits

• Very High Bandwidth/Speed• Upgrades Do Not Involve Changes to Cable, Just Electronics • Perfect Long-Haul and Middle-Mile Solution to Last Mile• Impervious to Electrical Interference and Cross-talk• Reliable and Durable – Lasts for Decades• Easier to Plan Future Needs• Multiplexing is an Option Wireless

Customer #1WirelessCustomer #2

WirelessCustomer #3

WirelessCustomer #4Fiber-Optic Cable

“Wired” Broadband• Digital Subscriber Line Benefits

• Good Speed, Higher Speeds Possible (Up To 100Mbps Short-Distance)

• Can Use Existing Lines (Assuming They are in Good Shape)• Up to 18,000’ Last Mile Service From CO• Not a Shared Medium Like Cable• Is Often Times Bundled With Landline Telephone (Can be Naked)• Cost to Consumer

• Cable Modem Benefits• Very Good Speed, Offerings Exceeding 100Mbps• Can Use Existing Cable, Hardware Upgrades Needed• Cable Infrastructure Located in Higher Population Areas• “Always On” Service, Turn On and Use• Triple-Play Packages Very Common

Putting The Technologies Together

WISP TOWERS

FIBER-OPTIC

CO/DSLAM

DSL, 18,000'

AGGREGATION SWITCH

INTERNET1GB

1GB 1GB

1GB

10GB

OPTICAL SPLITTER

FTTP1GB/10GB ONT

Modem

Gateway/SS

Public – Private Partnerships

Open Discussion

Reminders• Deadline for Questions Concerning the Grant Application:

September 25th – Email: PSCstatebroadbandoffice@wisconsin.gov

– Subject Line: Broadband Expansion Grant Application Question

• Grant Deadline of October 13, 2014 at 4:00pm Central Time

• Posting of Q&A’s and all packet materials on http://WIBroadband.org

• Here to assist – steer you in the right direction